Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of "things" and not of "persons," a civilization in which persons are used in the same way as things are used. In the context of a civilization of use, woman can become an object for man, children a hindrance to parents, the family an institution obstructing the freedom of its members.
Interpretation
Utilitarianism prioritizes practical usefulness over human relationships, reducing people to mere objects.
This quote critiques the philosophy of utilitarianism, which emphasizes the importance of production and utility, suggesting that such an approach can dehumanize individuals by viewing them as tools or objects rather than as unique persons. Pope John Paul II warns that in a utilitarian society, relationships and structures, such as family, become problematic as they restrict individual freedom and objectify members, particularly women and children, undermining the value of human dignity and mutual respect.
In practice
This quote can be used in a debate on ethical frameworks in philosophy classes.
True freedom is not advanced in the permissive society, which confuses freedom with license to do anything whatever and which in the name of freedom proclaims a kind of general amorality. It is a caricature of freedom to claim that people are free to organize their lives with no reference to moral values, and to say that society does not have to ensure the protection and advancement of ethical values. Such an attitude is destructive of freedom and peace.
Like so many pilgrims before us, we kneel in wonder and adoration before the ineffable mystery which. was accomplished here... In This Child - the Son who is given to us - we find rest for our souls and the true bread that never fails - the Eucharistic Bread foreshadowed even in the name of this town: Bethlehem, the house of bread. God lies hidden in the Child; divinity lies hidden in the Bread of Life
And everything else will then turn out to be unimportant and inessential except this: father, child, and love. And then, looking at the simplest things, we will all say, Could we have not learned this long ago? Has this not always been embedded in everything that is?
Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.
Man matures through work which inspires him to difficult good.
United with the angels and saints of the heavenly Church, let us adore the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Prostrate, we adore this great mystery that contains God's new and definitive covenant with humankind in Christ.
The highest religion is to rise to universal brother hood; aye to consider all creatures your equals.
It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.
When people complain of life, it is almost always because they have asked impossible things of it.
For neither good nor evil can last for ever; and so it follows that as evil has lasted a long time, good must now be close at hand.
But suppose one doesn't quite know which one wants to put first. Suppose," said Harriet, falling back on words which were not her own, "suppose one is cursed with both a heart and a brain?" "You can usually tell," said Miss de Vine, "by seeing what kind of mistakes you make. I'm quite sure that one never makes fundamental mistakes about the thing one really wants to do. Fundamental mistakes arise out of lack of genuine interest. In my opinion, that is.
I am the infinite sea, and all worlds are but grains of sand upon my shore.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.